Wood paving-block.



W. I. GILBERT. woon PAVING BLOCK.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. I4. 19I6.

Patmlted May 30, 1916.

WILLIAM J'. GILBERT, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, ASSIG-NOR TO THE COMPRESSEDWOOD PRESERVING COMPANY, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

WOOD PAVING-BLOCK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application led February 14:, 1916. Serial No. 78,155.

To all 'whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, WILLIAM J. GILBERT, a citizen of the United Statesof America, and resident of Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton andState of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improvement in WoodPaving-Blocks, of which the following is a specification.

rIhis invention relates to improvements in paving materials andparticularly `to improvements in wood blocks for wood block paving.

In ordinary wood block paving the blocks are laid in separated positionswith relation to adjacent blocks. The laying of the blocks has toberdone carefully in order to provide spaces between them for thereception of sand or other agents which hold them in their separatedpositions. The laying of the blocks in their separated positions is doneto permit them to expand and contract under changes in weatherconditions.

Various means have been employed for so spacing the blocks, one of whichconsists in placing thin strips of wood between adjacent rows of blocksin order to space them, and then removing the strips as the pavement islaid. Another expedient has been to form lugs on the blocks in such amanner that they extend in the directions of the grain, or in otherwords from the top to the bottom of the blocks which are laid in theusual manner with the end of the grain uppermost to present a wearingsurface for the pavement. In the last mentioned construction the lugsextending along the grain contribute largely to the splitting of theblocks because of the fact that they form fulcrum points upon whichopposite ends of the block may rock whenit has a tendency to bend. Thisresults in eventual deterioration of the pavement through gradualdisintegration and displacement of the blocks. In addition to thisobjection, the formation of lugs which extend in the direction of thegrain permits of their being easily chipped from the'block, as might ocjcur in shipping or in loading and unloading the blocks. A furtherdisadvantage is. found in the fact that it is frequently desirable tosplit the block either transversely or longi` tudinally in order to fillin small spaces left at the edges of the pavement, and yet maintain theblocks in spaced relation by having a portion of the lug on each splitportion of the block. In attempting to split blocks having lugsextending longitudinally of the grain as in the ordinary construction,the lug will be left on one or the other of the split portions, it beingvery diflicult to split th lug so that each portion is provided with aug.

It is to overcome-these objections ,to wood block constructionheretofore employed, that I have devised my improved wood blockconstruction herein illustrated and described in which an object is toprovide an improved wood block having lugs formed thereon and extendingsubstantially transversely of the grain.

A further object is to produce a wood block in which the lugs are soformed that splitting of an entire lug from the block is avoided in theshipping and handling of the blocks.

A further object is to provide a wood block in which a series of lugsare so formed thereon that the block may be readily split eitherlongitudinally or ltransversely in a manner such that each portion ofthe block is provided with a portion of the lug.

These and other objects are attained in the wood block described in thefollowing speciication and illustrated in the accompanying drawings inwhich:

Figure 1 is a fragmental perspective view of a wood block pavement builtof blocks embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a plan Patented May 341],IWL@ view of one of the blocks embodying my inlugs of each series arealined with one another with their longitudinal dimensions io tendingtransverselyY of the grain o'f the VWood .the same as the; grainintheseries of tending transversely.l At the end of the body -of theblock a series of lugs 8 are formed, the lugs being located one abovethe other, their longitudinal dimensionexlugs 5, 6V and 7. Ipr'e'ferablyform the end lugs -in alinement Withthelugsof? the: series V5, 6 and 7as'shovvn in Fig. 1. The opposite P end Vand' opposite sidefffrom'theend and side Vhaving Ithe 'lugs formed ithereonfare left plainlso thatthe lugs of adj acent'blocks' Will engage therewith and maintain theblocks ffata sufficient distance `froi-n'oneanother and l'permit oftheplacing "of-sand'andpitch be- -tween'themasisfusualin -vWood blockpavelnient construction. VAlthough I-"have illus- 'trated'the'construction fas 'having the lugs in absolute transverse Pand ilongitudinal alinement ywith eachy other 'onthe blocks, I may also"fform them in 1 such positions that V"they soi y 4or are in approximatealinement With one another 'both'tra'nsversely `and longitudinally of'the block, since the essential feature is tof'so construct? them thattheir longitudinal dimensions will be in adirection'substantiallytransverse-to the direction of the grain. 'This permits of ltheloc'ationof the lugs at eitherparallel positions with-fone another as Vshovvninthe drawings, or at slightly inclined or staggered positions.

' By` means of the construction-above described vit willV be seen' thatI-,have' provided a IWood. block particularlyadapted for` pav` ingpurposes in that the lugs Which'liold adj acent' blocks :apart are solocated that the "block is' supported against the 7face of an adjacent"block vat a number ofy 'dierent points fand'at' points whichA presentsufficient bearing i surface VuponV the 'adjacent' block to prevent theblocks `siilitting'as in the ordinary Wood blockvcon'struction vfha'vingthe ylug extending with the Igrain `as' previously described. In:addition to this the 'lugs are' so Aformed and located' thatthey 'maypress finto-'the surface-of fthe material of the'adj a-V 5 C'eii'tblockWithoutl the blocks'ha'vinga tend- V 'ency @to ii-turn ori'tiltwhen? the Vlbloclrs 'svvell orfexpand Y, 'due Ytoffthe absorption ofvWater and' toy temperaturechanges. Iurthermore Y because of the`location'-of ,lugs at( frequenti 4 A. A"iintervals`on'the'blockssurfaceand in a 1 direction'y transverselyVv V(3f-*the"graini5-hereof,V

4thfespaces'between adjacent blo'eks are mainf :tained fat lun'iformdistances Withoutfdanger yof beingf closed by Warpage'ofl-the blocks.:This permanently 'affords spacesV `ing-Which theshoes-ofho-rsesniay'securefa gri-pin order to prevent their slipping, which slippinghas previously been one of the objections had to wood block pavements.

One of the principal advantages attained by the transverse alineinent ofthe lugs with relation to the grain is that portions of the lug maybecome chipped and otherwise broken from the block Without endangeringthe entire detachment of the lug therefrom as has been the objection towood blocks having lugs extending with the grain. Even should one lugbecome entirelybroken off, its alined lug Will act in its stead andserve to' maintain'the block positively in an afiixed position Withrelation to its adjacent blocks.

An important `advantage attained by my improved Wood block is that I amenabled to split theblock either transversely or longitudinally atcentral points thereof and yet have block sections in which portions ofthe original lug remain, thus giving each section the advantage of thelugs formed on the original block.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

LA Wood paving block consisting of 'a body portion having a top andbottom piesentiiig end grain surfaces and sides and ends presentingsurfaces extending with the grain, and elongated lugs formed on thesides and ends with their longer dimensions extending transversely ofthe grain.

2. A Wood block comprising a body portion having a top and bottompresenting end grain surfaces and sides and ends presentingsurfaces'extending with the grain, and elongated lugs formed on thesides and ends and having their longer dimensions in alinemeiit with onelanother and extending transversely of the grain.

3. A wood block consisting of a body portion having a top and bottompresenting end grain surfaces and sides and ends presenting surfacesextending with the gra-in, and a series of elongated lugs alined withthe grain and having their longer dimensions extending transversely ofthe grain.

`4:.[A Wood paving block consisting of a 'body portionV having 'a topand bottom presenting end grain surfaces and sides and ends presentingsurfaces extending with the "grain, and elongated lugs formed on thesides-and' ends of the block, their longer di- V'51A Woodv paving blockcomprising a lbod'y" portion havinga top and bottom presenting endvgrain .surfaces and sides and ends presentingsurfaces extending withthe grain, and a multiplicity of. series of elon- *gated lugs formed onthe sides and ends fWith f their longer Y dimensions extendingtransversely of the grain, the lugs of each In testimony whereof, I havehereunto series being alined with the grain and the subscribed my namethis 10th day of Feblonger dimensions of corresponding lugs of ruary,1916.

adjacent series being in alinement with one another and extendingtransversely of the WILLIAM J' GILBERT' grain, certain of said seriesbeing located at Witness: intermediate points of the sides and ends. W.THORNTON BoGERT.

enten m? t patent :may be ob fi i w for ve centi each, by addreaim the13o :t mener of Mmmm, Wanhitom, D. 0.

